₦airaland Forum

".....The Fu­lani causing security problems in the country were.......Influx of Fulani from neighboring countries like Sierra Leone, Mali, Senegal, Niger and Chad brought into the country for election purposes in 2015.

After the election, the Fu­lani have refused to leave. I and other like minds wrote and warned those we started APC with that this was going to hap­pen but nobody listened,”

The Speaker of the House of Representatives on Tuesday read a letter announcing the defection of Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The defection letter was, however, dated April 23, 2026.

Following the announcement of his defection, Chinda subsequently resigned his position as Minority Leader of the House.
Chinda, a political ally of the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, recently secured the APC governorship ticket for Rivers State ahead of the 2027 elections.

He emerged as the party’s candidate following the withdrawal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Tonye Cole and George Kelly from the race. Although he was the sole aspirant, party members still turned out en masse and queued to be counted in affirmation of his candidacy.

In addition to the defection of Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda, the House also recorded a number of other defections.

Anthony Adebayo Adepoju, representing Ibarapa North Federal Constituency of Oyo State, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). Adedeji Stanley Olajide, representing Ibadan North-West/Ibadan South-West Federal Constituency, also moved from the PDP to the APM, while Makanjuola Sunday Ojo, representing Ogo-Oluwa/Surulere Federal Constituency, defected from the PDP to the APM.

Similarly, Najimdeen Oyeshina Oyedeji, representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency, Folajimi Oyekunle, representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency, and Abass Adekunle Adigun, representing Ibadan North-East/Ibadan South-East Federal Constituency, all in Oyo State, announced their defection from the PDP to the APM.

Also joining the APM from the PDP was Auwalu Abdu Gwalabe, representing Katagum Federal Constituency of Bauchi State.

Meanwhile, Etanabene Benedict, representing Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency of Delta State, defected from the Labour Party (LP) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Former Acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hilliard Etta, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s handling of security and economic affairs, arguing that the country has recorded fewer deaths from insecurity under the current administration than under previous governments.

Etta made the remarks during an interview on ARISE NEWS on Sunday, where he rejected claims that insecurity had worsened since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.

According to him, assessments of the administration’s performance should be based on available statistics and comparative data rather than public sentiment. “Far less people have died under Asiwaju Bola Tinubu than any government from the time. It’s on the newspapers. It’s on the newspapers. It’s on the terrorism index,” Etta said.

The APC chieftain also pushed back against suggestions that terrorist attacks and violent crimes had outpaced security gains recorded by the military. Responding to claims that more Nigerians had been killed than insurgents neutralised, Etta urged critics to acknowledge the sacrifices and achievements of security personnel.

“Don’t say that, please. You stand down here and teach the military personnel well. Do not do that to our military personnel. The people that have been neutralised by our military personnel are over and above the people that have been neutralised by our military personnel,” he said.

Beyond security, Etta praised the administration’s infrastructure drive, describing ongoing road construction projects across the country as unprecedented in Nigeria’s recent history.

He maintained that the scale of investment in critical infrastructure under Tinubu surpasses what previous civilian administrations achieved within a similar period. “The only time we have had the level of infrastructural investment that we have in Nigeria is during the war time,” he said.

“The level of infrastructural development in this country in the past two years is unprecedented. As we speak, there are 2,700 kilometres of road, concrete reinforced roads going on in Nigeria today. No government outside of the government of Tinubu has been able to do this.”

Etta further argued that key economic indicators point to improvements in the country’s economic outlook despite concerns over the rising cost of living and inflation.

According to him, Nigeria’s economy is recording stronger growth while foreign reserves have risen significantly under the current administration.

“Now, Nigeria is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world today, with about 4.3%. We have pushed our reserves to nearly 50 billion US dollars,” he stated.

The former APC acting chairman’s comments come amid continuing debates over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, security policies and infrastructure projects as the government approaches the midpoint of its first term.

The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Ajibola Basiru has revealed that the party primary election is not a true avenue of picking its candidate but through a selection by party hierarchy. He disclosed this in a viral video on social media, where he appeared to be holding a meeting with members of the party.

In the video, Basiru who was speaking in Yoruba language, disclosed that the party candidates for President, Senate and House of Representatives will be uploaded by the National Secretariat, hence, described mockery about some aspirants not winning primary as a mere joke.

His words, “If you claim candidate(s) did not win primary, who will upload the name(s), it is mere child’s play. Claims that someone emerge in primary is a ruse, we know there is no primary.

“We don’t hold primary in our party. We pick those that we want to pick. The claim of a winner of a primary is false”, he said.

In the said video, he even asked a former lawmaker if he emerged through a primary election and the lawmaker replied that he was picked inside he government house.

Meanwhile a statement that emerged from the meeting revealed that the APC scribe cautioned party members from insulting or abusing civil servants in the State as they are critical to the party’s success at the August 15 governorship poll.

“Civil servants are enlightened people. They are respected in their communities, and people listen to them because they understand governance and leadership.

“I have enormous respect for them, and nobody has the authority to insult them in the name of our party,” he said.

Bashiru appealed to workers in the state not to direct their grievances against the APC over comments made by individuals acting on their own.

“I want to appeal to our civil servants not to use their influence against the APC because of careless statements from some individuals. Those comments are personal opinions and not the official position of our party,” he said.

Bashiru also warned APC members and candidates against complacency ahead of the governorship election, insisting that victory would only come through hard work, unity and reconciliation within the party.

“I don’t believe in automatic victory. There is nothing like that in politics. We must work in every ward and every polling unit, and we must appeal to those who are aggrieved,” he said.

Dalohad:
Many of them don lose primaries, now dem wan discuss e-transmission. Dem bin think say na play play.